Psalm 46 – a psalm of comfort in anxious times
To say that we are living in uncertain times is an understatement! Psalm 46 speaks into our anxiety and fear, just as it did to Israel originally. At this time, we must focus on God, who alone can deliver us in such times.
He is our refuge: ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’ (1). In the midst of our difficulties, God promises Himself to be our refuge, strength and help. A ‘refuge’ is a place of trust, where God promises to protect us. When the whole world is turned upside down, we can come to Him without fear.
He is our resource: ‘There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.’ (4,5). Jerusalem was able to withstand enemy attack, because of the water that resourced it. For us, this is a picture of the presence of God’s Spirit, who resources us when we are under pressure. This psalm promises that God’s is with is in all our troubles on a daily basis: ‘The Lord Almighty is with us...’ (7,11).
He is our ruler: ‘He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ (10). When we consider all that God has done in the past, we can see the way in which He has worked among us to provide, protect, and deliver us. We are called to ‘cease fighting’ God and surrender our lives to God. Let’s worship Him, as we let go fear and as we depend on Him in this current time of crisis.
‘A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing’ (Martin Luther).
Editor: Canon Paul Hardingham continues his series on the Psalms.
PP Looking at God July 2020
@page { margin: 2cm }
p { margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; line-height: 115%; text-align: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2 }
